Who Should I Start? Cooper Rush or DK Metcalf
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16.1 | 2.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Cooper Rush News
Sunday, September 13, 7:57 AM
Atlanta Falcons backup quarterback Cooper Rush (back) is officially active for Sunday's Week 1 season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers after dealing with minor back spasms on Saturday, according to Tori McElhaney of the team's official website. The Falcons had already ruled out both Tua Tagovailoa (oblique) and Michael Penix Jr. (knee) for Week 1, leaving Rush and undrafted rookie Jack Strand as the only QBs on the roster for the Falcons to begin the 2026 regular season. It is good news that Rush is ready to go, but Rush leading Atlanta's offense in Week 1 is not what fantasy managers of Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts Sr. had in mind when they drafted those players. Against a very capable Steelers defense, the expectation is that Atlanta's offense will struggle to move the football effectively on Sunday, so fantasy managers who have Robinson, London, and Pitts in their lineups in Week 1 should be tempering expectations for their overall production. As far as Rush, he is simply a low-upside streaming option in superflex leagues that fantasy managers should be avoiding, especially since he could suffer a setback with his back mid-game.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12.1 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 3.6 | 53.5 | 0.5 |
DK Metcalf News
Friday, September 11, 5:16 PM
Wide receiver DK Metcalf will be a big piece of the Pittsburgh Steelers' aerial attack in Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons. The 28-year-old wideout was sidelined for the final few weeks of training camp with an undisclosed ailment, but came off the injury report less than a week before the Steelers' season opener. Metcalf's numbers dipped in his first season in Pittsburgh, and he finished the 2025 campaign with 59 receptions for 850 yards and six touchdowns in the air. Though Michael Pittman Jr. will be competition for targets this season, quarterback Aaron Rodgers told reporters on Sept. 2 that he "needs to get the ball" to Metcalf, so that effort should start on Sept. 13. Metcalf is a solid WR3 in fantasy headed into Week 1 and should flex his muscle as a red-zone threat against Atlanta.
Cooper Rush vs. DK Metcalf
Still trying to decide between Rush and Metcalf? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Cooper Rush is projected to score 16.1 points this week while DK Metcalf is projected to score 12.1 points.
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